Chapter 8 Gratitude
1118 Words
Yuda stood tense, waiting for what Yuki would do to him.
But after staring at him, Yuki turned around and stepped back on her feet.
Yuda breathed a sigh of relief, then followed in the steps of her young lady.
Yuda frowned when Yuki took him to a place where many brands of clothing for men were sold.
"What is your pants size, Uncle?" Yuki asked. The answer just slid out of Yuda's lips. Yuki pointed to six pieces of jeans with different colors. The sales assistant immediately got what she wanted.
"What size is Uncle's shirt?"
Again Yuda answered just like before. This time Yuki pointed to 6 plain shirts but with different colors.
Yuda could only freeze at what her young lady was doing.
After paying with her credit card, Yuki handed the paper bag containing the clothes into Yuda's hand.
"Here, take it!" said Yuki. Yuda just nodded and accepted the paper bag that Yuki handed over to him.
They walked again, Yuda's steps stopped when Yuki entered the shop that sells shoes.
"Get in Uncle!" exclaimed Yuki in her bossy voice.
Yuda came in with Yuki. To buy shoes in this store for Yuda was just a dream.
"What size is your shoes, uncle?" Yuki asked, surprising Yuda who was busy watching the shoes on display. Yuda answered Yuki's question. Then Yuki talked to the saleswoman, pointing to some shoes that were displayed there. Yuda couldn't listen to their conversation. A moment later, Yuki handed a paper bag containing three pairs of shoes to Yuda. Yuda could only accept it without making a word.
"Come on, Uncle!" exclaimed Yuki. Yuda followed Yuki's steps. They entered a barbershop.
"Your hair needs to be tidied up, I don't like other people saying my driver is like crap. People might think Opa didn't pay you properly, so you can't afford to buy better clothes than you wear now," Yuki said before Yuda could ask why they get into the barbershop.
Yuda couldn't deny it, he just realized that all the clothes and shoes that Yuki had just bought turned out a gift to him. Yuda felt bad for his wife. When he had new clothes, even though his employer bought them for him to work, he hadn't been able to buy new clothes for Ajeng.
'Oh, Dear, I'm sorry if I have new clothes, while I can't buy you yet. I'm sorry, Dear.'
"Uncle!" Yuki's voice startled Yuda.
"Yes, Miss."
"What size is Aunty's dress?" Yuki's question surprised Yuda. Yuda mentioned the size of his wife's clothes.
"Ehmm, Auntie is wearing a hijab, huh?"
"Yes, Miss, how come you knew it?"
"Just guessing. Uncle wait here, I need to go for a minute. I'll come back later."
"Where are you going?"
"I'll just be a moment!"
Yuki left while Yuda was fixing his hair in the barbershop.
'The cost of getting a haircut here must be tens of times from the costs at the normal barbershop. Oh my, Miss Yuki, she is waste much money just to shave my hair '
Yuki came back when Yuda had finished shaving. Yuki smiled happily at Yuda's new look.
"Uncle looks younger, cooler, and more handsome like this,” said Yuki, making Yuda's face blush.
"Where are we going, Miss?" Yuda asked.
"We eat first, then we can go home."
"I want to pray Maghrib first, Miss."
"Okay, let's go to the restaurant first. You pray Maghrib, and I'll wait for you there."
"Alright, Miss."
****
Ajeng had started getting restless since the evening prayer. Her husband hadn't come home yet. Even though Yuda had told her that he would come home late, for her it was too late. The time for Isha prayer was coming. She had tried calling Yuda's cellphone, but it's not active. Ajeng thought, might beYuda's cellphone battery ran out.
When Isha's call to prayer echoed, Ajeng immediately took ablution water. She prayed Isha alone. Usually, she always prayed Isha with her husband.
After the Isha prayer, Yuda still didn't come home. Ajeng also hadn't touched her dinner yet. It felt sinful for her to eat first, before her husband ate it, those who were looking for money to buy the food.
The very familiar sound of the motorbike made Ajeng open the door immediately.
"I’m home."
"Welcome back."
"Sorry, Dear, I came home too late. Miss Yuki asked me to accompany her watching a movie and shopping after her tutoring this afternoon."
"Yes, Honey, you already call me before to inform me about that."
"I was going to call you again, but my cellphone battery runs out."
"What is this?" Ajeng points to the paper bags hanging on Yuda's motorcycle.
"This was bought by Miss Yuki. She gave me clothes and shoes for work. She said she was embarrassed if I wore ugly clothes. She didn't want people to think that her grandfather didn't pay me properly," explained Yuda. After handing over all the paper bags, Yuda took off his helmet, Ajeng stared at him. Ajeng's mouth opened, mesmerized by what she saw.
"What's up, Dear?"
"Where you cut your hair?"
"Ooh, this is Miss Yuki who asked me to shave at the barbershop at the mall, is that good, Dear?"
"Yes, you are getting more handsome."
"Hehehehe .. even though I've often shaved, but how come you're just now fascinated like this, Dear?"
"It's different, Honey, but I don't know, what's the difference. Ehmm, have you prayed?"
"Yes, I prayed Maghrib at the mall before eating. Oh yes, this one is clothes and food from Miss Yuki for you, Dear. You eat it first. I want to take a shower, after that, I want to pray Isha."
Ajeng received all the paper bags from Yuda's hand. Yuda went into the room to put his wallet and cellphone. Then, he got into the bathroom to take a shower.
Ajeng opened the paper bag that Yuda gave to her. Ajeng's eyes widened when she took out the contents of the paper bag. She saw two robes complete with their hijabs. Not a cheap robe, but a design by an artist who becomes a Moslem fashion designer.
Ajeng's eyes filled with tears, she hugged the clothes with gratitude sliding off her lips. Even in a dream, she did not dare to wish to have the clothes she was holding right now.
'Miss Yuki, thank you very much. May you be given by Allah health, long life, abundant sustenance, and happiness in life, aameen.'
Ajeng prayed for Yuki in her heart, as an expression of her gratitude.
Ajeng did not expect, in this day and age, there were still young people as good as Yuki.
- Writer
